Two cases of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in patients who had undergone laparoscopic surgery (cholecystectomy and inguinal hernioplasty in the first and crural hernioplasty in the second) are described. These cases suggest that prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism should also be given to patients who undergo relatively noninvasive surgery such as laparoscopic intervention. The presentation concludes with a review of the last 7 years' literature on this topic.